Under the terms of the deal, First Solar will provide full engineering, procurement and construction services on the project, employing its advanced thin film photovoltaic modules and single-axis tilt technology. The project, based near El Centro, California, sits on approximately 1,100 acres of previously disturbed land in Imperial County. 

According to Roger Bredder, First Solar's managing director for US business development, the project will provide up to 800 jobs in the Imperial Valley at construction peak and make a significant economic contribution to the local community. More importantly, he said, it will also provide the residents of Southern California with a reliable source of clean, renewable energy." 

First Solar has already started engineering and expects to begin construction later in 2014, with full commercial operation anticipated in 2016. San Diego Gas & Electric Company holds a 25-year power purchase agreement for all electricity generated by the facility.

Tenaska Imperial West is the second solar project in Southern California's Imperial Valley developed, owned and managed by Tenaska. In November of 2013, First Solar completed construction on the 130MWAC Tenaska Imperial Solar Energy Center South power plant for Tenaska.